Public health organisations and the peer-reviewed literature increasinge recognised the serious impacts for our health should we fail to tackle climate change, write David Shearman, George Crisp and David King.
World Health Organisation
The fattest nations on the planet
Australians may be fat, but we ain’t fat enough to make the top ten list of countries (to be fair, we make the top twenty) of the WHO’s most obese nations. A whopping 95% of Nauru’s population is overweight and
Should you have to be wealthy to be healthy?
Those in the lowest socio-economic group die three years earlier than the rest of the nation, writes Martin Laverty, CEO of Catholic Health Australia.
Panicking over the WHO influenza pandemic
Will the scandal about undeclared industry ties of experts who advised the World Health Organisation on pandemic influenza claim the scalp of the Director-General, Dr Margaret Chan? asks Melissa Sweet.
Expert calls for health inequalities to be on the election agenda
Successive Australian governments have failed to tackle the social and economic inequities that result in some people having shorter, unhealthier lives than others, writes Melissa Sweet.
Social inequality is toxic to our health
Higher taxes and costs will drive some low income people to cut their spending but those with least sense of self control will go without food instead, writes Eva Cox.
Political snippets: The politics of swine flu
Richard Farmer looks at the politics of dealing with a flu pandemic and catches up with pollies across the Tasman.
Flu fears divert us from the main game
Heart attacks and strokes globally cause millions upon millions more deaths than all infectious diseases — flu included, writes Stephen R Leeder.
podcast Canberra Calling: The ding dong Dick is dead edition
Swine Flu stalks the land — but not according to the World Health Organisation.
Swine flu pandemics and other porkies
In terms of impacts on human lives, the current outbreak of swine flu in North America is minimal.
And now for some positive news about pandemics
It’s still unclear whether the new form of H1N1 influenza, first identified in Mexico, will spread easily around the world, writes Professor John D. Mathews.
Pandemic panic: should doctors sound the alarm?
Health officials dealing with swine flu are in a “damned if they do, damned if they don’t” situation.
Three studies that should make a difference to Australian health care
Here’s how policy makers can improve the safety of surgery or improve the outcomes for elderly patients requiring hospital treatment, writes Mary Haines.
WHO wants radical redistribution of wealth to improve health
The new WHO report’s key recommendations focus on changing social structures and reducing inequality, in order to prevent disease and improve people’s health and happiness, writes Ray Moynihan.
Circumcision might be the kindest cut
The Health Department in South Australia is now reviewing its position on male circumcision after Victoria joined NSW, Western Australia and Tasmania and recently stopped allowing the procedure at public hospitals for non-medical reasons, writes Dr Alex Wodak
WHO says kava is safe, Australia bans it
South Pacific producers of kava were delighted this week at the publication of a World Health Organisation report declaring kava to be a safe product although one that should be available on prescriptions and not over the counter in an attempt to better monitor its use and put in place some sort of control.
